LAWRENCE — The Rider University women’s basketball won its second game in a row and third in the last four outings with a come from behind 61-58 victory over Central Connecticut State Saturday in Alumni Gymnasium.

For Rider (4-5), senior MyNeshia McKenzie had her 32nd career double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds, playing all 40 minutes. McKenzie scored 18 of her game-high 23 points in the second half.

Rutgers 61, No. 16 Georgia
The victory began with a rabid Rutgers defense that smothered Georgia to jump out to a double-digit lead and it concluded with a white-knuckle final few moments.

Yet, in all, it was a bookend to a 61-58 victory over 16th-ranked Georgia, which made its way north to the RAC and left with their first loss of the season.

The whole way through it was grinding and hard-edged.

Rutgers relied on Kahleah Copper and Betnijah Laney to buoy them through the afternoon. Copper finished with 18 points, hitting 7-of-11 shots, and Laney put up a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The game’s final moments were tense. Rutgers extended its lead to seven, 59-52, with 37 seconds left but Georgia’s Shacobia Barbee hit two threes within 30 seconds and cut the lead to a point.

After Tyler Scaife hit two free throws to give a softer cushion, Syessence Davis almost stole a long inbounds pass but threw it out of bounds. Instead, Rutgers had to watch as Khaalidah Miller’s three-pointer at the buzzer hit the front of the rim.